NOAO is facing a crisis brought on by the declining purchasing power of its budget. The NSF has made it clear that NOAO cannot continue to operate Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo in their current mode indefinitely. A proposal for future operations, which changes both the telescope complement and the operations procedures, is now on the table for discussion. To promote communication and discussion with the community, NOAO and the nighttime users committee (comprising both Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo) have set up an electronic forum where this proposal is currently the "hot topic". It can be accessed at:

There is a place within the Web page to send comments directly to the observatory directors and users committee chairs, as well as to post public comments. The NOAO nighttime users committee will convene next week to discuss, among other topics, the response of the users to this proposal. We need your comments and discussion NOW! Please read the forum pages and respond by December 4.

Those without access to the World Wide Web can receive an email version of the forum pages by sending a blank email message to forum-info@noao.edu and can respond directly via email to the observatory directors and the users committee chairs (addresses below).

Now is your chance to be heard BEFORE these proposed changes to the national observatories are finalized. Please take advantage of this opportunity. NOAO, and the users committee, need community-wide input to help shape plans for the future.